The Academy’s Best Original Song Shortlist Features Ellie Goulding, Eminem, Leon Bridges, and More

A few days ago the Academy released their shortlist for Best Original Song, and per usual, the list is very long with some artists appearing more than once. One noticeable surprise came from the amount of hip-hop and R&B this list contains.

Amongst the two genres on the shortlist are Eminem for “Phenomenal” from the film Southpaw. He previously won as an underdog for “Lose Yourself,” and “Phenomenal” carries weight in its energy, flow, and instrumental that coincides with the intensity of the movie, but unfortunately–due to the Academy’s rules–the better song off the Southpaw soundtrack, “Kings Never Die,” isn’t eligible.

Creed, the most recent installment in the Rocky franchise, got songs on this shortlist as well. But that’s where the nervousness begins to shroud this writer’s spine. Meek Mill is on this list for “Fighting Stronger,” which mind you is only like two minutes long. And while Drake got nominated for “Back to Back” at the Grammies, Meek possibly getting a nomination could really extend this humiliation fest even further. I’ve spent most of my life this year feeling Meek Mill’s humiliation, like you feel for comedians who are nervous and freaking out on stage. I would really prefer this to be left out of the list, but I can’t change what is written.

Fifty Shades of Grey has three songs here too with Ellie Goulding’s “Love Me Like You Do,” along with The Weeknd and Sia for “Earned It” and “Salted Wound,” respectively. My preference lies with Ellie though.

Home and Salt Bridge lead the shortlist with four and seven respectively.

A few lines for the future, also, may come out of this year’s possible nominees; one of them being for the future when you look back and say, “Damn, Wiz Khalifa was nominated for an Oscar.” Though it may not sound as ridiculous as saying Three6Mafia won the Oscar for a song about how it’s hard to be a pimp.

If Chi-Raq carries a big campaign for Original Song, we could also see Nick Cannon make his way to the Oscar stage with the powerful, “Pray 4 My City,” though not a local Chicago native, his message is powerful for what we have heard and seen from Chicago’s South Side for years.

As for R&B and Soul, Leon Bridges, among others like Rihanna, is on here after releasing a well-put together traditional gospel-soul album. Here he’s listed for “So Long” from Concussion, a nice light acoustic soul track where Leon shines with his somber range.

The biggest snub on this list though is “One Kind of Love” from Love & Mercy. It’s also an example of the travesty of the Academy’s rules for this category. All because Brian Wilson released it on a solo album prior to the film’s release, it’s ineligible. It’s a shame because he would have definitely won the award if nominated.

Kevin Montes is one sarcastically satirical dude. He’s usually at home watching hours of comedy and television, primarily Simpsons. Kevin aspires to be a TV writer, a joke writer, and composer for all things Harmony Korine. You can reach him on twitter @iamkevinmontes to further ask about all things Simpsons.